Porter confident over Brook, has Mayweather, Thurman within sight

Phil Jay 01/08/2014

IBF welterweight champion Shawn Porter is taking everything in his stride as the cool American nears the second defense of his red belt against mandatory challenger Kell Brook.

The 25 year-old, who has been linked to a fight with Floyd Mayweather in 2015, has brushed off any notion that he is in danger of losing his title to the big-punching 32-0 challenger and says his own unbeaten C.V speaks for itself.

“There is no pressure on me at all,” said Porter. “You look at my record, I’m undefeated against undefeated fighters, so I’m going to keep that going.

“I do look forward to staying undefeated, and carrying my belt out of that ring. I don’t make predictions, but I will say that Shawn Porter will be undefeated after Aug.16.”

When asked whether the holy grail of a clash with Mayweather was in his thinking going into the fight, Porter didn’t try to hide the fact that a unification with the pound for pound king appeals to him already.

“Of course you do (think about it), you look forward to those opportunities,” he admitted.

“I don’t consider my fights as auditions, I consider them performances. I go out there and I give it my all, I don’t go out there and give it my all with expectations of getting something bigger and better, but with the expectations of making that fight the biggest and best fight that I’ve had, and then going from there.

“Again, you know this is boxing, we don’t look ahead of ourselves, but at the same time, yes, Mayweather, we all know he’s on the clock and we’re all right there standing there hoping that we’re next in line.”

On a potential bout with interim WBA title holder Keith Thurman, Porter added: “I’ll fight “One Time” two times. I don’t look past what’s in front of me. Again, we’ve seen it all over the internet, all over the media wavelengths; everybody wants that fight. I think it’d be an exciting fight and it’s a fight that I wouldn’t turn down.

“I’m working hard. You guys know me, you know I’m going to go in the ring Aug.16 and give it my all. I look forward to seeing everyone out there, it’s going to be a great fight at a great venue.

“I’m excited to get out there to StubHub, and then perform Aug. 16,” he concluded.